by Sophie Stern
“If you keep doing that, I’m going to want to fuck you, little fox,” I tell her. I’m not sure if that’s something she’s ready for. Then again, last night she seemed to think it was a good idea, and now… Well, now there’s a big part of me that thinks I was an idiot for waiting. I didn’t want her to feel pressured, though, and I didn’t want her to make a decision in the heat of the moment. If we’re going to do this thing, then I want it to be because it’s what she wants. I don’t want it to be because she’s scared or because she’s trying to forget. I want it to be because she needs this.
Because she craves it.
“I want you to fuck me,” she groans, kissing me again. She nips at my lip before moving to my neck: kissing it, teasing it. Every part of my body feels like it’s suddenly on fire in the very best way.
Shit.
What the hell is this woman doing to me?
She’s making me go crazy.
She’s making me happy.
Delighted.
Wonderful.
She wiggles against me, and I can scent her arousal even through my clothes. My inner-lion wants her so very badly. I can feel her fox crying out for me, too.
A lot of people don’t believe in true mates, and I used to be one of them. Foxy changed everything for me, though. Maybe we really were just childhood sweethearts destined to fail, but something tells me that our relationship is so much more than that.
“Please,” she whispers. “I need you.”
I need her, too.
I want her.
I set her down on the countertop and I look at her gorgeous body for just a moment, and then I reach for her breasts. They’re soft and sweet, and I start playing with her nipples as we kiss. This makes her even more excited, and soon my own clothes start coming off. I kiss her as I strip out of my clothing, not caring that we’re still in the middle of the kitchen.
“Please,” she says again.
“Are you sure?” I whisper. I feel strange asking her for permission when she’s basically begging me, but I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable in any way. I don’t want her to feel like I’m pressuring her or forcing her. I don’t want her to feel anxious or wary or frustrated.
Most of all, I want this to feel as good for her as it does for me.
“Brendan, I’ve waited five years. Don’t make me wait any longer,” she says. Her voice comes out breathless and needy, and I don’t need to be told again. This time, I slide inside of her, filling her, and she groans when I do.
She’s so fucking tight and perfect, and I love the way she fits around me as I make love to her right in the middle of the damn kitchen. I slide into her over and over, worshipping her body with my own. My fingers find their way to her nipples and I tease her, taunting her, before slipping them down to her clit.
“More,” she groans, and I start rubbing against her, playing with her body until she comes apart beneath my touch. She groans, crying out as she orgasms, and damn if it’s not incredible. The sounds she makes are the most perfect sounds in the world and I come, too, just for her. I close my eyes as the pleasure washes over me. This is so not how I thought I’d be spending my day, but it’s the best fucking way I’ve ever started one.
When I catch my breath again, I look down at her to find that she’s watching me curiously, smiling. She looks up at me like she can’t believe what we just did. It was hot and fast and wild, and it was wonderful. It was very different from the way we used to make out for hours, kissing and cuddling and whispering together. This was hot, and it was quick, and I want more. I want to fuck her again already, and I want to take my time doing it. I want to explore every bit of her, and I want to make her feel like the goddess that she is.
“You were perfect,” I tell her.
“I need to tell you something,” she whispers. I tense for just a second, but I quickly realize that whatever she wants to tell me isn’t something bad. I can’t quite explain how I know. It’s just kind of obvious that her “confession” isn’t going to be something horrible.
“What is it?” I ask her gently, still feeling a little shocked that we just made love in the middle of my kitchen.
“I haven’t been with anyone since that night,” she blushes, biting her bottom lip. She looks away for a second before turning back to me and making eye contact.
She looks embarrassed, but I don’t know why she should. After all, the night in the cave was one of the most perfect nights of my life. Well, up until the getting dumped part. Before that, though, it was wonderful.
“I need to tell you something,” I say to her. Maybe I shouldn’t, but she totally put herself out there. The least I can do is return the favor.
“What is it?”
“I haven’t been with anyone else, either,” I admit. Her eyes widen, and her mouth opens just a little. Yeah, she wasn’t expecting me to say that. Maybe it’s nerdy. I don’t know that I was intentionally “saving myself” or anything like that, but, well, it’s Foxy we’re talking about. Nobody ever compared, and I didn’t want anyone else.
“What? Really?” She asks.
“Really and truly,” I say casually. Now I’m the one who is a little embarrassed. I know that I’m supposed to be this macho sort of guy who isn’t afraid to brag about my sexual conquests, but with her, I don’t want any conquests. I don’t want to be someone who plunders. I just want her.
Her and only her.
“Why not?”
I shrug, but the reality is that there are a lot of different answers. Part of me didn’t try that hard to find someone to sleep with. I didn’t date very much. The few times that I went out over the years, there was never a spark.
There’s another part of me that just knew nobody else could compare to her, so I kind of felt like I shouldn’t waste my time trying.
And if I’m honest, there was part of me, a strange part, that just never wanted to forget Foxy. I was always a little worried that if I slept with someone else, the memories we made together would slowly start to fade, and I never wanted that to happen.
“Because it was only you,” I tell her. “It was only ever you.”
I kiss her again, and this time, I promise myself I won’t let her go.
Not again.
Chapter 7
Foxy
After showering, another round of lovemaking, and then showering again, we manage to make it to the bakery. Lion’s Bakery is the best bakery in town. It’s got delicious treats like cupcakes, cookies, and even pies. You can buy things individually, too, which is cool. My coworkers love to buy pie by the slice. I look up at the sign on top of the building and smile. The logo has a chocolate chip cookie on it in place of the “o” in “lion.” It’s super cute, and I love it.
“What do you think?” Brendan asks, looking over at me. He loaned me a pair of sweats, which are far too big for me, but I’m thankful all the same. It’s nice to have something like this to wear today. It’s definitely better than wandering out naked and having to admit to the town that I was out in my shifter form last night. Not that I’d ever walk around naked. It just wouldn’t surprise or shock people. Shifters are a strange bunch.
“I love it,” I tell him honestly.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah,” I nod. “I like that you did this. It’s good that you followed your dream.” I look over at him carefully. “I’m proud of you, Brendan. Not everyone has the guts to go after what they want.”
My words kind of hang between us for a minute. Neither one of us has talked about the future yet. I don’t know if this “thing” that’s blossoming between us is supposed to continue forever. I don’t know if he wants to take a chance on “us” again. I broke his heart. I know that. I don’t know if it’s something that either one of us is ever really going to heal from.
I’ll do my best, though. There’s a part of me that really loves getting to see the person he’s changed into. The Brendan I knew was drive, but the Brendan now…he’s something else entirely. I can
’t believe that he built his own business from the ground up and now he’s one of the most well-respected bakers in the area. It’s incredible, really.
“Thanks,” he says. “I’ve worked hard.”
That just makes me respect him even more. He doesn’t brush off his accomplishments and act like they’re no big deal. They are a big deal. He doesn’t brag about it, but he also doesn’t act like he got to where he is by pure luck. Brendan moves and pushes open the door. He holds it for me and I walk in, and he follows behind me.
Henry is behind the counter, but he looks up at us when we walk into the store.
Correction: he looks up at me and he glares at me like I’m the worst person in the world. Suddenly, I have the distinct impression this guy views me as a sort of villain, and I kind of hate that.
Why do I have to be the bad guy?
Yeah, I get that Henry’s loyalty is to Brendan, but our breakup, despite being forever ago, hurt me, too. We were both injured in that situation. Neither one of us walked away unscathed. Then again, I understand now that I should have fought harder. I should have told Jeanette to suck it and to leave us alone. I’m guessing, judging by the way Henry is staring at me, that he feels the same way.
“Hey,” Brendan says, striding toward the front counter. He doesn’t bat an eye, nor does he take the time to look around the little shop. It’s empty, save for the three of us, but I know it won’t be empty for very long. This place is bustling all day, every day. Everyone in town likes to stop in and get treats. Even the people who like to go to Beans for a cup of coffee will come here and get a couple of baked items to have with their morning drinks.
“You’re late,” Henry looks down at something he’s working with. He ignores me entirely for a second, and I bristle at the rudeness. Okay, he could at least say hello or something. I’m obviously not invisible, and if Brendan is bringing me in here, it means that something important has happened.
“Sorry about that,” Brendan tells him. “I should have called to let you know I’d be late. Something came up.”
“I can see that.” Henry looks me up and down, and then he scents the air. He raises an eyebrow, but he’s discreet enough not to say anything. Shit. I’m sure he can tell that we had sex this morning. That’s one of the problems with being a shifter: there really isn’t any privacy. Not when it comes to stuff like this. I wonder if I’m blushing because right now, I kind of feel like I’m blushing, and I can imagine how it looks: Brendan’s ex-girlfriend from years gone comes in, sleeps with him, and makes him late for work. Is it any wonder that Henry isn’t my biggest fan right now?
Brendan either doesn’t notice the smelling his friend is doing, or he ignores it entirely. I’m not sure which one would be better, but apparently, I’m going to have to take winning Henry onto my side into my own hands. Whether or not Brendan and I end up being together after this entire situation is over, I’m going to have to deal with Henry for awhile. I’d like for him to be on my side during this time. I’d like for him to be rooting for me as he helps us figure out whatever it is that’s going on with my Team Shifter date. That is, if he even decides to help us, and judging by the look on his face, that’s not a guarantee.
“Hey,” I say. “I’m Foxy.”
“I know,” he looks at me sharply. I’m getting a big fuck off sort of vibe from him that makes me instantly uncomfortable. Is he seriously going to give me a hard time today? Shit. Coming here was a bad idea, I realize. This guy might be able to help me. That doesn’t mean he’s going to want to help me.
Brendan clears his throat, and Henry rolls his eyes. Apparently, these two have been working together for so long that they no longer need words to communicate with one another.
“I’m Henry,” he says, pasting a big smile on his face. Okay, so this guy just really doesn’t like me. I get it. Maybe he thinks I’m the big bad whatever from Brendan’s past. Maybe he just doesn’t like the idea that someone would hurt his friend.
Either way, he’s going to have to get used to me, and I’m going to have to grow a spine when it comes to asking people for help and communicating with Brendan’s peers. If Brendan and I actually start to date or anything like that, I’m going to encounter a lot of people who aren’t happy with me.
I’m going to encounter a lot of people who view me as a bad guy.
That’s okay.
I’ve been a teacher long enough to understand that you can’t please everyone. Hell, you can’t even please most people, so most of the time, it doesn’t even matter. Besides, I did hurt Brendan. I hurt him very deeply, and that? That’s not going to change. Us falling in love now or finding each other isn’t going to change the fact that I did something terrible that wounded him. Eventually, I’m going to have to deal with the fact that he’s had a lot of friendships over the years, and many of these friendships involve people who know what happened between us.
“Nice to meet you, Henry,” I tell him.
Another nod.
Brendan just shakes his head.
“Look, you two, I… Henry, Foxy’s in trouble.” He blurts it out and lays it all on the table. Mad respect. I appreciate the fact that Brendan is doing this for me. Let’s be honest: he doesn’t have to. He could just as well tell me to get lost. After all, I really am the one that messed up. I made a lot of mistakes. I did a lot of bad things. I broke his heart deeply. He doesn’t have to help me, but he’s choosing to.
Apparently, just being totally honest is the correct choice because it gets Henry’s attention.
“What happened?” He asks. This time, he turns to me, asking me directly. I’m a little uncomfortable, suddenly, about being put on the spot. I’m not used to this much attention from a guy: any guy. Henry is probably some type of cat shifter like Brendan is, and while I’m not attracted to him, he’s handsome. He’s big. He totally towers over me, and suddenly, formulating any sort of sentence seems quite impossible.
“I…”
“She met someone on Team Shifter,” Brendan says. “The guy turned out to be a creep. You think you can help us find out who it was?”
Henry doesn’t even have to think about it. He exudes total confidence as he nods. Then he turns to me, cocks his head, and thinks for a second. Finally, he speaks.
“I’m not against the app at all,” he tells me. “I met my wife on there, actually, but there are a lot of creeps who use it, too. Unfortunately, the app is designed in a way that makes it hard to track.” He shakes his head, as though he thinks it’s kind of ridiculous.
“Shit,” I groan. So we aren’t going to be able to find the guy?
“Don’t worry,” a happy grin crosses his face. “I’m very good at what I do.”
“I thought what you did was bake.”
“I’m good at that, too,” he points out. “But I moonlight as a tech guy, and I’m…well, I’m the best that Claw Valley has to offer.” He smiles, and this time, it seems like he’s genuinely happy. Oh, I know that he’s still not happy with me, but he’s happy he gets to play the hacker, and that’s good enough for now.
“Interesting,” I say. That’s pretty much what Brendan told me earlier. This guy, Henry, is someone that people tend to underestimate. I can see how it happens. He’s got a pretty ordinary job, even for a shifter. He probably flies under the radar. He doesn’t bring attention to himself. Even the way that he dresses is quite simple: in a simple button-down shirt with comfortable jeans. I bet his wife is the kind of sweet lady who loves to bake with him and brew him tea.
“You have any info?” Henry asks. “Depending on what you have, we can probably get started. The more you can give me to go off of, the better our chances of finding this guy are going to be.”
Brendan steps to the front of the bakery and flips the sign from “OPEN” to “CLOSED,” silently letting any passers-by know that they’re going to have to wait for the cupcake fixes today. I feel bad that they’re going to lose out on some business this morning because of me, but neither man seems
bothered by this.
“Yeah,” he says. “And it’s going to take us a little while. Let’s head to the back.”
I glance around quickly, trying to take it all in before we have to move. There’s a big, lovely counter up front that’s filled with freshly baked muffins, brownies, cookies, and cupcakes. There are seating places throughout the room, which is lovely since it ensures that every single person is going to have a nice place to sit while they enjoy their sweet treat.
The décor is homey and cute, just like the decorations at Brendan’s home, and for me, that says everything I think people need to know about Brendan. He always goes out of his way to make people feel at ease.
That’s probably one of the nicest things about him.
He always goes above and beyond.
“Come on,” Brendan urges me. “You can daydream later. I promise,” he smiles gently.
“It just looks so sweet,” I tell him.
“That’s the idea. I want people to feel comfortable here. I want them to think that it’s kind of a home-away-from-home so that they’ll enjoy themselves. People who feel comfortable not only buy more, but they come back over and over again.”
“So it’s a business strategy?” I ask.
“Partly.”
“He also just loves to decorate,” Henry calls over his shoulder.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Brendan shrugs. He takes my hand and tugs. Reluctantly, I allow myself to be led through a narrow doorway. To the right, there’s a kitchen. I only have time to just glance, but it looks like it’s totally modern with big steel appliances and tons and tons of counter space. Straight back, I can see a back door with a bright blinking EXIT sign over it. We go to the left, though, and enter a little office. There’s a huge computer set-up at the desk, and I gasp when I see the triple monitors and the huge tower. That is so not what I was expecting to find in the back of the bakery.
